All too often, the on-line Disneyana community’s initial reaction to any news about proposed changes at the Disney theme parks is to first attack that idea, then endlessly whine about that project in the weeks & months that lead up to the actual opening of that particular attraction.

It’s interesting to watch the Disney Faithful respond to Hill’s comments. There’s some great commentary, real soul-searching, and yes some serious traces of defensiveness.

You know, before I answer any more questions there’s something I wanted to say. Having received all your letters over the years, and I’ve spoken to many of you, and some of you have traveled… y’know… hundreds of miles to be here, I’d just like to say… GET A LIFE, will you people? I mean, for crying out loud, it’s just a TV show! I mean, look at you, look at the way you’re dressed! You’ve turned an enjoyable little job, that I did as a lark for a few years, into a COLOSSAL WASTE OF TIME!

True, it’s got to be frustrating for Disney execs to feel constantly under a microscope with all the constant, frequently-negative Interweb chatter. And yes, We Fear Change, and bitch and moan more than perhaps we should (you don’t even want to get me started on the Magic Your Way pricing scheme, or the new Enchanted Tiki Room). But c’mon now, shouldn’t Disney’s corporate ego be strong enough to handle our tantrums? Can’t they tell how much we love them by all those dollars we keep tucking into the turnstiles? Haven’t they noticed how fond we are of Dole Whip, how we can’t stop watching the free planning DVDs, how we set our Tivos to record all those damn specials on the Travel Channel?

As you might remember, Shatner backed down:

Of course, that speech was a “re-creation” of the “Evil Captain Kirk” from um… Episode, um… THIRTY-SEVEN… uhh… called… “The Enemy Within.”

Yuh, Yuh, so thank you… and, and… Live Long and Prosper…

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have another pair of Mickey ears to sew before my next WDW trip. Harumph.